Ventilating grommet for mattresses and the like



Aug- 11, 1970 s. o. oLssoN 3,523,313

INVENTOR. SvE/ OLoF O/ sso/v AT TO RNEYS United States Patent O1 iice 3,523,313 Patented Aug. 11, 1970 3,523,313 VENTILATING GROMMET FOR MATTRESSES AND THE LIKE Sven Olof Olsson, Minneapolis, Minn., assignor to Bechik Products, Inc., St. Paul, Minn., a corporation of Minnesota Filed June 20, 1968, Ser. No. 738,618 Int. Cl. A47c 23/00 U.S. Cl. 5--347 6 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE A breather plate with a plurality of apertures therethrough `fixedly attached at one end of a tubular barrel, the other end lof which is formed by a substantially continuous sharpened edge so that the grommet can cut its own hole for the insertion thereof through the side wall of a mattress.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION Field of the invention In mattresses and the like it is desirable and often necessary (especially if the mattress is formed of a plastic material not air permeable) to engage in the side walls thereof a plurality of devices designed to allow air to pass freely therethrough. Thus, when an individual or object compresses the springs in the mattress air is forced out through the Ventilating or breather devices and when the mattress is allowed to expand again to its normal size air will flow into the mattress through the Ventilating or breathing devices.

Description of the prior art In the prior art, Ventilating grommets are constructed with a breather plate in a variety of configurations. In general, to insert the grommet in a mattress wall whether in conjunction with a mattress handle or as a ventilator only it is rst necessary to form an aperture in the mattress wall and then insert the device therethrough. Afterl the device is inserted through the aperture in the mattress wall a washer is placed coaxially thereover and the grommet crimped over to iixedly engage the washer and maintain the entire device within the hole in the mattress wall. These prior art devices are cumbersome to install since apertures must be preformed and the device must then be fitted in the aperture, which tasks require much additional machinery and time.

Also in the prior art, grommets are constructed with a breather plate for appearance purpose having a plurality of sharpened legs extending axially from one side thereof. The device is inserted into a mattress wall in conjunction with a handle thus acting as a holding grommet or rivet. The sharp legs on the device only pierce through the mattress material and they do not perfom any separation of said material at the center part of the grommet. A washer is placed coaxially to the device and the legs are crimped over to engage the washer and maintain the entire device aixed to the mattress material. This prior procedure does not produce a ventilated grommet due to the remaining mattress` material blocking the breather plate on the device. Also this prior art device has a tendency to pull out after much use since the individual legs become bent and deformed.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention relates to a Ventilating grommet for mattresses and the like including a generally tubular barrel having a substantially continuous edge forming an end thereof and a breather plate attached adjacent another end thereof with a plurality of apertures therethrough in communication with the opening through said barrel.

It is an object of the present invention to provide a new and improved Ventilating grommet for mattresses and the like.

It is a further object of the present invention to provide a Ventilating grommet having a tubular barrel with a substantially continuous edge designed to produce a hole through the mattress wall as the grommet is forced therethrough.

It is a further object of the present invention to provide a Ventilating grommet which forms a hole through the mattress wall as it is inserted therethrough and the wad cut from the mattress wall is easily removed from the grommet while the barrel of the grommet is riveted over a washer to hold the assembly iixedly in place.

These and other objects of this invention will become apparent to those skilled in the art upon consideration of the accompanying speciiication, drawings and claims.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS Referring to the drawings, wherein like characters indicate like parts throughout the figures:

FIG. 1 is a View in side elevation of an embodiment of the present Ventilating grommet;

FIG. 2 is a View in top plan of the grommet illustrated in FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is an enlarged sectional View as seen from the line 3 3 in FIG. 2;

FIGS. 4, 5 and 6 are sectional views in sequence of the grommet illustrated in FIG. 1 being inserted through a mattress wall; and

FIG. 7 is a View in bottom plan of a grommet atlixed in a mattress wall, as illustrated in the sectional view of FIG. 6.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT In the igures the numeral 10 generally designates a Ventilating grommet including a breather plate 11 and a tubular barrel 12. In the present embodiment the breather plate 11 and the tubular barrel 12 are constructed with a circular cross section although it should be understood that this is shown only for exemplary purposes and many other configurations are anticipated herein.

The tubular barrel 12 is constructed with a generally outwardly extending flange 13 adjacent one end. The barrel 12 is tapered inwardly from approximately a midportion thereof designated 14 to the other end thereof. The other end of the tubular barrel 12 is formed by a sharpened substantially continuous edge 15 which, for example, may be formed by tapering the material of the side walls of the barrel 12 from the mid-portion 14 to the continuous edge 15. A plurality of score marks 16 are formed in the barrel 12 and extend longitudinally from the continuous edge 15 to approximately the mid-portion 14. In general, the score marksv 16 are spaced apart approximately equal distances around the barrel 12 and may be in either the inner surface, as shown in the gures, or in the outer surface thereof.

The breather plate 11 has a plurality of apertures 20 therethrough and is positioned approximately coaxially in overlying relationship with the end of the barrel 12 having the flange 13 thereon. The edges of the breather plate 11 are turned approximately 180 in encircling engagement with the llange 13 of the barrel 12. Thus, the breather plate 11 is tixedly engaged on the end of the barrel 12 with the apertures 20 in communication with the opening through the barrel 12. It should be understood that other means of connecting the breather plate 11 to the barrel 12 may be utilized but the present means is illustrated for exemplary purposes because of its simplicity.

In the use of the present device a mattress wall 25 is positioned over a die 26 with feet 27 adjacent either edge of the die 26 holding the mattress wall 25 firmly in place. A grommet is placed above the mattress wall 25 coaxial with the die 26 and pressure means 28 are positioned in abutting engagement with the breather plate 11. As the pressure means 28 force the grommet 10 into the die 26 the sharpened continuous edge 15 of the grommet 10 cuts a wad 30 from the mattress wall 25, thereby, forming a hole for the insertion of the grommet 10. A washer 31 is placed in approximate coaxial relationship with the grommet 10 above the die 26 and below the mattress Wall 25.

The continued downward pressure of the pressure means 28 forces the grommet 10 through the mattress wall 25 and into the die 26. As the grommet 10 is forced into the die 26 the continuous edge 15 begins to turn outwardly in the die 26 and the barrel 12 separates along the score marks 16. Continued pressure on the grommet 10 moves the outwardly extending portions of the breather plate 11 which encircle the flange 13 into juxtaposition with the washer 31 and at least the tapered portion of the barrel 12 is rolled outwardly and upwardly so as to engage the washer 31 and hold it rmly in place. Because the diameter of the barrel 12 at the continuous edge 15 is smaller than the diameter at the mid-portion 14, the diameter of the wad 30 is small enough so that the wad 30 will fall or can easily be removed from the grommet 10 when the mattress Wall 25 is removed from the die 26. Further, since the diameter of the hole through the mattress wall 25 is somewhat smaller than the outer diameter of the grommet 10 between the midportion 14 and the flange 13 the edges of the mattress wall 25 adjacent the hole are turned and carried through the opening in the washer 31 by the insertion of the grommet 10 therethrough. Once the grommet 10 is forced into its nal crimped position, illustrated in FIGS. 6 and 7, the edges of the mattress wall extending between the grommet 10 and the washer 31 are xedly held in this position and aid in holding the grommet 10 xedly in position.

Thus, the grommet 10 cuts its own hole in a mattress wall for insertion therethrough, whereby the laborious tasks of precutting holes in the mattress wall and aligning a grommet with the holes are eliminated. Further, since alignment of a grommet with a precut hole is difficult at best and the diameter of the hole must be somewhat larger than the diameter of the grommet for insertion therein, the present invention is a substantial improvement since the grommet is somewhat smaller than the hole through the mattress wall and is, therefore, held more tightly in position. In the preferred embodiment the barrel 12 of the grommet 10 is formed of a high carbon steel so that it will not bend during insertion through the mattress wall 25 and this high carbon steel, once rolled outwardly into the nal position, holds the grommet .10 more rigidly in position. While the barrel 12 is formed of a high carbon steel in the preferred embodiment it should be understood that any relatively hard metal might be 4 utilized which will maintain its form during insertion through the mattress wall and can be rolled outwardly into the final position by the die 26.

What is claimed is:

1. Ventilating grommet for mattresses and the like comprising:

(a) a breather plate having a plurality of apertures therethrough;

(b) a generally tubular barrel fixedly connected to said breather plate adjacent one end of said barrel so that said plurality of apertures communicate with the opening through said barrel;

(c) a substantially continuous edge forming the other end of said barrel; and

(d) said tubular barrel having a plurality of score marks therein extending longitudinally from the continuous edge toward the one end for enhancing separation of the portions of the barrel at either side of a score mark and riveting thereof.

2. A Ventilating grommet as set forth in claim 1 wherein the tubular barrel is constructed of a high carbon steel.

3. A Ventilating grommet as set forth in claim 1 wherein the continuous edge is sharpened for cutting holes in mattress side walls.

4. A Ventilating grommet for mattresses and the like comprising:

(a) a breather plate having a plurality of apertures therethrough;

(b) a generally tubular barrel fixedly connected to said breather plate adjacent one end of said barrel so that said plurality of apertures communicate with the opening through said barrel;

(c) a substantially continuous cutting edge forming the other end of said barrel;

(d) the outer diameter of said cutting edge being substantially smaller than the outer diameter of said barrel adjacent said breather plate; and

(e) at least a portion of said barrel adjacent said cutting edge being constructed for outward rolling or riveting thereof.

5. A Ventilating grommet as set forth in claim 4 Wherein the one end of said tubular barrel afxed to said breather plate encompasses a larger cross sectional area than the other end formed by the continuous edge and the tubular barrel tapers inwardly from approximately a mid-portion thereof toward the continuous edge.

6. A Ventilating grommet as set forth in claim 4 wherein the thickness of the tubular barrel Walls decreases gradually as the barrel is tapered inwardly from the midportion to the continuous edge.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS BOBBY R. GAY, Primary Examiner A. M. CALVERT, Assistant Examiner 

